diff --git a/net/bridge/br_netlink.c b/net/bridge/br_netlink.c
index 7625ec8458de..5d4006e589cb 100644
--- a/net/bridge/br_netlink.c
+++ b/net/bridge/br_netlink.c
@@ -1098,11 +1098,14 @@ static int br_dev_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 		spin_unlock_bh(&br->lock);
 	}
 
-	err = br_changelink(dev, tb, data);
+	err = register_netdevice(dev);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	return register_netdevice(dev);
+	err = br_changelink(dev, tb, data);
+	if (err)
+		unregister_netdevice(dev);
+	return err;
 }
 
 static size_t br_get_size(const struct net_device *brdev)